Headwear with attachable panel

ABSTRACT

An article of headwear includes a brim that extends above a face of a wearer and a panel that is selectively coupled to the brim. The panel includes an adhesive surface that facilitates coupling of the panel to the brim and an outer surface that is disposed opposite the adhesive surface. In various embodiments, the outer surface is a reflective surface that directs ambient light onto a face of the wearer so as to create favorable lighting conditions on the wearer&#39;s face.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to, and incorporates by reference the entire disclosure of, U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/131,037, filed on Dec. 28, 2020.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates generally to methods and systems for facial lighting and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a panel that is attachable to a brim of headwear, the panel having an outer surface that, in some embodiments, may be reflective to facilitate the projection of favorable lighting conditions onto a face of a wearer.

BACKGROUND

This section provides background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the disclosure. It should be understood that the statements in this section of this document are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.

Ambient lighting has a drastic impact on an individual's appearance. In fact, the use and manipulation of ambient lighting has been practiced in industries such as film and photography for many years. The type, quality, and intensity of ambient lighting can be modulated and utilized to accentuate various features, particularly facial features, while obscuring or concealing others. Outside of a studio, however, it is difficult to achieve desirable lighting on an individual's face during daily life. To a large degree, this is due to the extensive equipment utilized by the film and photography industries and also to the controlled lighting environment present in a studio. As such, it is desirable to have a cost-effective and transportable mechanism to manipulate ambient light to achieve desirable illumination of an individual's face during normal, daily life. Further, adhesives are known to work well on smooth, flat surfaces such as glass, metal, and smooth painted walls. However, adhesives generally do not perform well on curved surfaces, rough surfaces, or variable fabric surfaces such as what might be encountered in articles of headwear.

SUMMARY

Aspects of the disclosure relate to an article of headwear. The headwear includes a brim that extends above a face of a wearer and a panel that is selectively coupled to the brim. The panel includes an adhesive surface that facilitates coupling of the panel to the brim and an outer surface that is disposed opposite the adhesive surface. In various embodiments, the outer surface may be a reflective surface that directs light, including ambient light, onto a face of the wearer so as to create favorable lighting conditions on the wearer's face.

Aspects of the disclosure relate to a panel that is selectively attachable to an article of headwear. The panel includes an adhesive surface that facilitates coupling of the panel to a brim and a reflective surface that is disposed opposite the adhesive surface. The panel is sized to match the brim of the article of headwear. The reflective surface directs ambient light onto a face of the wearer so as to create favorable lighting conditions on the wearer's face.

Aspects of the disclosure relate to a method of creating favorable lighting conditions on a face of a wearer. The method includes coupling a panel to a brim of an article of headwear. The panel includes an adhesive surface that facilitates coupling of the panel to the brim and a reflective surface that is disposed opposite the adhesive surface. The reflective surface is utilized to reflect ambient light onto a face of the wearer so as to create favorable lighting conditions on the wearer's face.

This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts that are further described below in the detailed description. This summary is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in limiting the scope of claimed subject matter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The disclosure is best understood from the following detailed description when read with the accompanying figures. It is emphasized that, in accordance with standard practice in the industry, various features are not drawn to scale. In fact, the dimensions of various features may be arbitrarily increased or reduced for clarity of discussion.

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of headwear having an attachable panel according to aspects of the disclosure;

FIG. 2 is an assembled perspective view of the headwear of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an assembled perspective view of the headwear of FIG. 1 illustrating an attachable panel of a different coloration according to aspects of the disclosure;

FIG. 4A is a perspective view illustrating various colors and patterns of the attachable panel according to aspects of the disclosure;

FIGS. 4B-4D illustrate examples of patterns that, in various embodiments, could be included on the outer surface of the panel according to aspects of the disclosure;

FIG. 4E illustrates lighting conditions on a wearer's face when using headwear without a reflective outer surface;

FIG. 4F illustrates lighting conditions on a wearer's face when using a panel having a reflective outer surface;

FIG. 5A is a top view of a wide-brimmed headwear according to aspects of the disclosure;

FIG. 5B is a bottom view of the headwear of FIG. 5A showing an attachable panel applied thereto according to aspects of the disclosure;

FIG. 6A is a top perspective view of a narrow-brimmed headwear according to aspects of the disclosure;

FIG. 6B is a bottom view of the headwear of FIG. 6A showing an attachable panel applied thereto according to aspects of the disclosure;

FIG. 7A is a top perspective view of a cap-style headwear according to aspects of the disclosure;

FIG. 7B is a bottom view of the headwear of FIG. 7A showing an attachable panel applied thereto according to aspects of the disclosure; and

FIG. 8A is a bottom perspective view of headwear having an attachable panel applied to a bottom surface of a brim and having a pattern printed thereon according to aspects of the disclosure;

FIG. 8B is a top perspective view of headwear having an attachable panel applied to a top surface of a brim and having a pattern printed thereon according to aspects of the disclosure

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Various embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. The disclosure may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein.

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of headwear 100 having an attachable panel 102. FIG. 2 is an assembled perspective view of the headwear 100 and attachable panel 102. Referring to FIGS. 1-2 collectively, the attachable panel 102 includes an adhesive surface 104 and an outer surface 106 that is disposed opposite the adhesive surface 104. In various embodiments, the attachable panel 102 is constructed of , for example, a thin polyester fabric. In other embodiments, the panel 102 may be constructed of a material such as, for example, cloth, printable fabric, paper, or a polymeric material such as, for example, vinyl. In various embodiments, the adhesive surface 104 may include a pressure-sensitive or non-pressure sensitive adhesive such as, for example, a microsphere adhesive. In various embodiments, the adhesive surface includes a low tac, removable adhesive that can be applied to clean surfaces and removed numerous times without loss of adhesion. An example of a microsphere adhesive includes, for example, Magik-Stik™ adhesive sold by DCM, Inc. of Fairfield, Ohio. In some embodiments, a release layer (not explicitly shown) may be applied over the adhesive surface 104 when the panel 102 is not applied to the headwear 100.

Still referring to FIGS. 1-2, the headwear 100 may be any type of headwear 100 that includes a brim 101. For instance, in various embodiments, the headwear 100 could be, for example, a cap, a visor, a wide-brim hat, a fedora, a page-boy cap, or any other type of brimmed headwear. The panel 102 is sized match an interior area of the underside of the brim 101. During use, the release layer, if utilized, is removed from the adhesive surface 104. The adhesive surface 104 is then applied to an underside of the brim 101 of the headwear 100. The adhesive surface 104 thus holds the panel 102 to the brim 101 of the headwear 100. When assembled, the outer surface 106 is positioned above, for example, an eye region of the wearer. In various embodiments, the outer surface 106 may be a reflective surface that reflects ambient light onto a face of the wearer. In various embodiments, the adhesive layer 104 facilitates selective and repeated removal of the panel 102 in order to, for example, facilitate use of the panel 102 with different articles of headwear. In various other embodiments, the adhesive surface 104 may be omitted and the panel 102 may be coupled to the brim via, for example, static cling, a hook-and-loop fastener, or various other fasteners such as snaps, buttons, stitching, and the like.

FIG. 3 is an assembled perspective view of the headwear 100 illustrating the panel 102 having a reflective outer surface 106 with different colorations. FIG. 4A is a perspective view of a reflective outer surface 106 illustrating various colors and patterns of the panel 102. Referring to FIGS. 3-4D, in embodiments where the outer surface 106 is reflective, the outer surface 106 may, for example, include various tints, patterns, colors, or tones in an effort to create favorable lighting conditions on the wearer's face. In various embodiments, such favorable lighting conditions may simulate, for example, the use of facial cosmetics. For instance, in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3, the reflective outer surface 106 may cast, for example, rose-tinted lighting on the face of the wearer. Such lighting may conceal, obscure, or reduce the appearance of shadowing and facial blemishes including, for example, wrinkles and skin discoloration. It has been observed that the outer surface 106 may be particularly effective in reducing the appearance of facial blemishes and shadowing in a region immediately under the eyes of the wearer. The color, tint, pattern, or tone of the reflective outer surface 106 may be selected based on on a variety of factors including, for example, a wearer's skin tone, the type of ambient lighting, the intensity of ambient lighting, and the type and color of clothing worn by the wearer. For example, in various embodiments, the reflective outer surface 106 may provide diffuse reflection of ambient light onto the face of the wearer. In other embodiments, the reflective outer surface may provide specular reflection of ambient light onto the face of the wearer. In still other embodiments, the reflective outer surface 106 may provide a combination of specular and diffuse reflection of ambient light onto the face of the wearer.

FIG. 4A illustrates an embodiment of a panel 402 having a smooth metallic reflective outer surface 106. In various embodiments, the reflective outer surface 106 of panel 402 could be, for example, rose colored, gold colored, silver colored, or any other color, tint, or tone desired by the wearer. The smooth surface of the panel 402 facilitates specular reflection of ambient light, or a combination of specular and diffuse reflection of ambient light, onto the face of the wearer. FIG. 4A also illustrates an embodiment of a panel 404 having a granular reflective surface. In various embodiments the panel 404 could be, for example, rose colored, gold colored, silver colored, or any other color, tint, or tone desired by the wearer. The granular surface of the panel 404 provides diffuse reflection of ambient light onto the face of the wearer. Diffuse reflection of ambient light for favorable lighting conditions in the film and photograph industries usually requires large, stationary surfaces, which are appropriately angulated toward the photography or film subject. Utilizing the panel 102, such favorable lighting conditions are achieved with a much smaller, more portable, and more user-friendly assembly. FIGS. 4B-4D illustrate examples of patterns that, in various embodiments, could be included on the outer surface 106 of the panel 404. For instance, FIG. 4B illustrates a floral pattern 420. FIG. 4C illustrates a star pattern 430 and FIG. 4D illustrates a heart pattern 440.

FIG. 4E illustrates lighting conditions on a wearer's face when using headwear without a reflective outer surface 106. FIG. 4F illustrates lighting conditions on a wearer's face with the panel 404 having the reflective outer surface 106 applied. The reflective outer surface 106 reduces the presence of shadows 450 on the wearer's face, which, for example, facilitates concealment of lines 452 or other facial features thereby simulating that the wearer is using facial cosmetics.

FIG. 5A is a top view of a wide-brimmed headwear 500. FIG. 5B is a bottom view of the headwear 500 showing a panel 502 coupled to a brim 501. Referring to FIGS. 5A-5B, in various embodiments, the panel 502 is sized to fit the shape of the brim 501. The panel 502 is similar in construction and operation to the panel 102 described hereinabove with respect to FIGS. 1-4.

FIG. 6A is a top perspective view of a narrow-brimmed headwear 600. FIG. 6B is a bottom view of the headwear 600 showing a panel 602 coupled to a brim 601. Referring to FIGS. 6A-6B, in various embodiments, the panel 602 is sized to fit the shape of the brim 601. The panel 602 is similar in construction and operation to the panel 102 described hereinabove with respect to FIGS. 1-4.

FIG. 7A is a top perspective view of a cap-style headwear 700. FIG. 7B is a bottom view of the headwear 700 showing a panel 702 coupled to a brim 701. Referring to FIGS. 7A-7B, in various embodiments, the panel 702 is sized to fit the shape of the brim 701. The panel 702 is similar in construction and operation to the panel 102 described hereinabove with respect to FIGS. 1-4.

FIG. 8A is a bottom perspective view of headwear 800 having an attachable panel 802 with a pattern printed thereon. The attachable panel 802 includes a printed surface 806 and an adhesive surface (not specifically shown) that is disposed opposite the adhesive surface. In various embodiments, the panel 802 is constructed of , for example, a thin polyester fabric. Such material has been demonstrated to facilitate printing of the panel 802 to the edges without curling. Additionally, such material may be conformed to various shapes of curved surfaces allowing the panel 802 to be utilized with headwear having a variety of brim shapes and materials. In various embodiments, the polyester material is breathable, which, in various embodiments, prevents bubbling or tunneling of the panel 802 due to trapped air. In other embodiments, the panel 802 may be constructed of, for example, paper, cloth, printable fabric, or a polymeric material such as, for example, vinyl. In various embodiments, the adhesive surface may include a pressure-sensitive or non-pressure sensitive adhesive such as, for example, a microsphere adhesive. In various embodiments, the adhesive surface includes a low tac, removable adhesive that can be applied to clean surfaces and removed numerous times without loss of adhesion. In some embodiments, a release layer (not explicitly shown) may be applied over the adhesive surface when the panel 802 is not applied to the headwear 800.

Still referring to FIG. 8A, the headwear 800 may be any type of headwear that includes a brim 801. For instance, in various embodiments, the headwear 800 could be, for example, a cap, a visor, a wide-brim hat, a fedora, a page-boy cap, or any other type of brimmed headwear. Specifically, the headwear 800 may be any of the varieties described in FIGS. 1-7B. The panel 802 is sized match an area of the of the brim 801. During use, the release layer, if utilized, is removed from the adhesive surface. The adhesive surface is then applied to the brim 801 of the headwear 800. The adhesive surface thus holds the panel 802 to the brim 801 of the headwear 800. In various embodiments, the panel 802 may be applied to a bottom side of the brim 801; however, in other embodiments, the panel 802 may be applied to a top side of the brim 801. In various embodiments, the printed surface 806 may feature, for example, a floral pattern, a geometric pattern, an alphabetical or numeric character such as, for example, a jersey number, a logo for a business, school, or other entity, or a message such as, for example, an advertisement or a motivational quote. In various embodiments, the printed surface 806 may also exhibit any of the patters illustrated above in FIGS. 4A-4D. In various embodiments, the adhesive layer facilitates selective and repeated removal of the panel 802 in order to, for example, facilitate use of the panel 802 with different articles of headwear. In various other embodiments, the adhesive surface may be omitted and the panel 802 may be coupled to the brim via, for example, static cling, a hook-and-loop fastener, or various other fasteners such as snaps, buttons, and the like. FIG. 8B is a top perspective view of headwear 830 having an attachable panel 832 with a pattern printed thereon. FIG. 8B illustrates an alternative embodiment where the panel 832 is applied to a top of the brim 831.

The term “substantially” is defined as largely but not necessarily wholly what is specified (and includes what is specified; e.g., substantially 90 degrees includes 90 degrees and substantially parallel includes parallel), as understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art. In any disclosed embodiment, the terms “substantially,” “approximately,” “generally,” and “about” may be substituted with “within 10% of” what is specified.

Conditional language used herein, such as, among others, “can,” “might,” “may,” “e.g.,” and the like, unless specifically stated otherwise, or otherwise understood within the context as used, is generally intended to convey that certain embodiments include, while other embodiments do not include, certain features, elements and/or states. Thus, such conditional language is not generally intended to imply that features, elements and/or states are in any way required for one or more embodiments or that one or more embodiments necessarily include logic for deciding, with or without author input or prompting, whether these features, elements and/or states are included or are to be performed in any particular embodiment.

While the above detailed description has shown, described, and pointed out novel features as applied to various embodiments, it will be understood that various omissions, substitutions, and changes in the form and details of the devices illustrated can be made without departing from the spirit of the disclosure. As will be recognized, the processes described herein can be embodied within a form that does not provide all of the features and benefits set forth herein, as some features can be used or practiced separately from others. The scope of protection is defined by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An article of headwear, comprising: a brim that extends above a face of a wearer; a panel that is selectively coupled to the brim, the panel comprising: an adhesive surface that facilitates coupling of the panel to the brim; and an outer surface that is disposed opposite the adhesive surface.
 2. The article of headwear of claim 1, wherein the article of headwear is one of a cap, a visor, a wide-brim hat, a fedora, or a page-boy cap.
 3. The article of headwear of claim 1, wherein the outer surface is reflective.
 4. The article of headwear of claim 3, wherein the outer surface directs ambient light onto a face of the wearer so as to create favorable lighting conditions on the wearer's face.
 5. The article of headwear of claim 4, wherein the outer surface is tinted so as to impart color to the reflected ambient light.
 6. The article of headwear of claim 4, wherein the outer surface facilitates specular reflection of ambient light.
 7. The article of headwear of claim 4, wherein the outer surface facilitates diffuse reflection of ambient light.
 8. The article of headwear of claim 1, wherein the outer surface comprises a printed display.
 9. The article of headwear of claim 8, wherein the printed display is at least one of a pattern, a color, a message, and advertisement, a promotion, or a quote.
 10. The article of headwear of claim 1, wherein the adhesive surface facilitates removal and re-attachment of the panel.
 11. The article of headwear of claim 1, wherein the panel is coupled to an underside of the brim.
 12. A favorable lighting assembly panel that is selectively attachable to an article of headwear, the panel comprising: an adhesive surface that facilitates coupling of the panel to a brim of the article of headwear; a reflective surface that is disposed opposite the adhesive surface; wherein the panel is sized to match the brim of the article of headwear; and wherein the reflective surface directs light onto a face of a wearer.
 13. The assembly of claim 12, wherein the light is ambient light.
 14. The article of headwear of claim 12, wherein the reflective surface is tinted so as to impart color to the reflected ambient light.
 15. The article of headwear of claim 12, wherein the reflective surface facilitates specular reflection of ambient light.
 16. The article of headwear of claim 12, wherein the reflective surface facilitates diffuse reflection of ambient light.
 17. A method of creating favorable lighting conditions on a face of a wearer, the method comprising: coupling a panel to a brim of an article of headwear, the panel comprising: an adhesive surface that facilitates coupling of the panel to the brim; and a reflective surface that is disposed opposite the adhesive surface; and utilizing the reflective surface to reflect ambient light onto a face of the wearer so as to create favorable lighting conditions on the wearer's face.
 18. The method of claim 17, wherein the utilizing the reflective surface comprises reflecting reflect ambient light onto a face of the wearer in a diffuse manner.
 19. The method of claim 17, wherein the utilizing the reflective surface comprises reflecting reflect ambient light onto a face of the wearer in a specular manner.
 20. The method of claim 17, wherein the coupling comprises coupling the panel to an underside of the brim. 